School bus incidents spark inquiry

State wasn't told of cases for 2 months

Broward school district officials are investigating why it took more than two months for two alleged abuse cases aboard school buses to be reported to the state Department of Children and Families, despite a law requiring district employees to immediately alert child welfare investigators to such cases.

Both incidents were appropriately reported to the transportation department and to the district's special investigation unit, said district spokesman Keith Bromery. But neither case was reported to DCF's abuse hotline until Wednesday, said Broward DCF spokeswoman Leslie Mann.

"We were absolutely shocked," Mann said. "Nobody can speak to whether or not a situation like this would happen again, but now that it's come to our attention, we're going to do everything in our power to see that it never happens again."

The first incident happened Sept. 26, when a school bus video allegedly shows driver Michael Clough waving what looks like a broom handle while ordering an autistic student from The Quest Center to stay in her seat, Bromery said. Two aides watched but did not intervene, though an aide later reported it to a supervisor, Bromery said.

The second incident was Oct. 2, when a video shows a male student on a bus from New River Middle School roughhousing with a female student, including sitting on the girl, Bromery said.

Bus driver Harry Toussaint reportedly did not pull over the bus to stop the boy, and the girl's mother reported the incident to the school's resource officer, Bromery said.

Both bus drivers - Clough, 65, of Hollywood, and Toussaint, 51, of Sunrise - have been reassigned to administrative duties in the district, Bromery said.

Clough could not be reached for comment Friday. A person at Toussaint's home said he was at work and unavailable for comment.

Clough has been a driver with the school district since 1992. He received satisfactory marks from his supervisors in his evaluations, though in 1998 he received a written reprimand for allegedly violating "acceptable conduct" rules, including "patting, swatting, pushing or grabbing a student," according to Clough's personnel file.

Clough responded on the warning that he would file a grievance with his union. There was no additional information about the incident in his file.

No additional information was available about Toussaint.

Though the school district still is investigating the allegations, Bromery said the district already is considering doing more, like posting signs in buses or offices, to remind employees to call the state hotline if they witness anything that might be considered abuse.

"If you have to pause to think about it, then make the call," Bromery said.

School Board Chairwoman Robin Bartleman said the district needs to investigate and find out how the communication breakdown happened.

"I was shocked, and as a parent I was very upset," Bartleman said. "I know that safety is the board's top priority, and we need to make sure [students are] safe when they're in our care."